Play@YSDC

Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Early June, 1918



A mule drawn trolley clatters past the open windows of the Restaurante Colonial on Federal Square. At a large table inside, dirty dishes are being picked up by a young black haired woman in a long white dress. The occupants of the table pause from their discussion as she does so. They are a small team of experts funded by the Carnegie Institute of Washington to survey archaeological sites in Mexico, the Yucatan to be precise. They have already spent several months surveying major cites including Chichen Itza and Uxmal. Now they are in Merida, Yucatan, resting up and researching their next move. The libraries and bookstores of Merida are often sources of information not widely available outside the Yucatan.

The team consists of archeologists; David Johnson, Anna Vesse Dahl, Percy Richmont, photographer Mitch Cooper, and guide Quinn Villavicencio. They liked to hang out here as the beers where cold, the food was good, and large ceiling fans keep the open air restaurant relatively cool in the hot Mexican summer. They were discussing Dr. Johnson's latest find, the crudely bound notes of a mid-nineteen century explorer named Donald Stillbridge. Johnson had found them in a box in a storage room at the Archaeology Library. The notes are on coarse paper with a string binding The front and back covers are each composed of two sheets of heavier paper that are glued together. The contents are written in hand and with black ink. Throughout Stillbridge employed short, incomplete sentences that efficiently convey information and ideas. Reading the notes you can tell that Stillbridge was well traveled. He visited most major Mayan sties and many minor ones. He is obviously well versied in native customs and culture and was fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Yucatec. Of the many sites mentioned in the book, one catches your interest.

The site is Xamanik and according to the notes and crude diagrams, is located in Quintanna Roo near the coast across from the stretch of water between the Yucatan shoreline and the island of Cozumel. Once a thriving town and later a religious site, the ruins are now a collection of overgrown mounds and tumbled stones. Near the center is a large, overgrown centoe that, not doubt, was the primary water supply for the community. Stillbridge also documented the presence of a large "caracol" or astronomical observatory. Long abandoned even before the Spanish came the site remains essentially undisturbed. Stillbridge reports stelae and monuments bearing crisp clear Mayan writing, scores of relics and artifacts and much more. Furthermore, he briefly interviewed Mayans living in the region and all said that they avoided the area because it was 'bad lands' and 'haunted". Stillbridge's time there was short. He spent only two day's there from July 8th and 9th, 1889.

Stillbridge never excavated there. He drew a rough map of the site and copied a few writings, but that was the extent of it. The journal goes on the describe a assortment of other sites and the ends abruptly and without explanation. The last date is September 10, 1889 at the town of Muna.

"It is said," comments Anna Vesse Dahl, "that the Mayans threw offerings, gold and suchlike, into cenotes. How I'd like to swim in its blue waters. We should go to Xaminik"--Anna looks from one to the other, Percy, Mitch and Quinn--"what do you think, Professor Johnson?"

"Absolutely!" says David Johnson, his excitement mounting. "We need to organize an expedition to Xaminik. We need to make all of the necessary preparations first, of course. As much as I want to see it, we can't go in unprepared. The site has been there all these years, so I doubt a small delay will hurt. The locals avoid it, so they shouldn't disturb it."

"May I?" asks Anna, desiring a close look at Stillbridge's notes and their binding, especially the glued together cover.

ooc,Spot Hidden 60% [dice]0[/dice]

Anna looks over the notes and inspects the glued pieces of paper that make up the covers.

Anna,There does not appear to be anything in between the sheets and she cannot detect any writing on the glued inner sides of the papers. Though she would have to try to pry them apart to be sure.

"Yeah the idea of swimming in a lake filled with gold is quite appealing" Mitch moves to where Anna is peering at at the cover of the book. "See anything of note, doll?"

Anna glances at the others when Mitch says "doll." "Hmmm," she murmurs, twisting the notes round and peering at them closely. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Cooper."

"I believe you meant to say Miss Dahl, Mr. Cooper," says David. "Let's try to be respectful. I think we should start by doing some preliminary research on Mr. Stillbridge's 1889 expedition and find anything more we can about Xamanik. We'll need to visit Mani and find out if anyone remembers his visit there, though it was nearly thirty years ago. I hope we can discover where he went from there and anything he may have reported about the site. Ideally, I'd like to talk to the man himself, if he's still alive and we can locate him. Even if he's far away, we can always send a telegram."

Mitch shrugs, pushes his hat back on his head and gives a chagrin smile, "Sure thing Prof. Didn't mean no disrespect Miss Dahl"

I agreed that we must have some caution. But even if there is no gold, at least we may find more exemples of the writing to help to decifer it.- says Percy also happy.

"Yes, Mr. Richmont," says Anna to Percy, "let's take another look at the Archaeology Library where the Professor found the notes. And browsing Merida's bookstores would be fun." She realises afterwards that Percy was probably referring to the Mayan writing on the monuments.

"I agree, more research is in order," says David. "When we do eventually go to Xamanik, I may be able to decipher the writing myself. I've studied Mayan hieroglyphics."

"What you said, Professor, about trying to locate Stillbridge is a good start," says Anna. "Maybe send a telegram to Brown University to enquire?"

Quinto, explorer

Quinn looks at the notebook after Anna and wonders.

"Rodrigo!" he calls out to the waiter he knows. "Wheel out a boiling steaming pot of water!"

The explorer tries to steam off the paper on the cover.

"I'll ask around my guide contacts to see if any know Stillbridge or his wherabouts."

"Excellent ideas, both of you," says David. "While you're doing that, I'll continue my research in the library."

"Right," she says decidedly, "I'll go find a post office or someplace to send a telegram; also, I'll ask my Prof. Ackland at Boston University about Stillbridge. Afterwards there's the bookstores: shops need to be browsed, you know!"

"Good idea, Mr. Villavicencio, but there's nothing written between those glued sheets."

Once the meeting is over, David heads to the library to begin his research on Xamanik and on Stillbridge.

Anna Dahl walks beside Mitch Cooper, heading for the post office in order to send two telegrams with an enquiry about Stillbridge: one to Prof. Johnson's Brown University and the other to Prof. Ackland of Boston University--where she studied for her degree.

"So you're our expedition photographer," she says, indicating the camera dangling from his neck, "do you wish to take snaps of me, Mr. Cooper?" She laughs. "Now, do I smile and look at the lens or do I pretend you're not there?"

Percy will go to the library to read anything abouth the area.

"That depends Miss Dahl whether it's for the official record or just holiday snaps" he grins, in a goofy sort of college boy way, "I guess when the Prof is about we'd best keep it totaly professional"

Jogging to get in front of her he opens the camera and points it at her, "Watch the birdie"